For more than 20 years, the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP), a joint program of the U.S. Army and FEMA, has been assisting communities surrounding U.S. Army depots that store the Nation’s stockpile of chemical warfare agents and munitions. During this time, many emergency management innovations have been planned, developed, and implemented in CSEPP communities.
Congress mandated the destruction of the United States’ chemical weapons stockpile in 1985 and ordered that this be done with “maximum protection” for the public, Army depot workers, and the environment until the chemical agents are destroyed. CSEPP was created to reduce the risk and provide maximum protection by improving existing emergency plans, training, equipment and facilities.
CSEPP is a unique, multi-jurisdictional partnership between the U.S. Army, FEMA, state and local emergency management agencies and one tribal nation. The U.S. Army provides funding for the program.
In 1989, the CSEPP began with 10 states, 40 counties, and one tribal nation. The U.S. Army safely completed disposal of chemical agent stockpiles at Aberdeen Proving Ground (Md.) in 2005, the Newport Chemical Depot (Ind.) in 2008, and the Pine Bluff Arsenal (Ark.) in 2010.
Communities adjacent to the following Army installations currently participate in CSEPP:
* Anniston Army Depot (Ala.)
* Pueblo Chemical Depot (Colo.)
* Blue Grass Army Depot (Ky.)
* Umatilla Chemical Depot (Ore., Wash., Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation)
* Deseret Chemical Depot (Utah)
To measure and report on the Program’s performance, CSEPP developed programmatic benchmarks that address 12 critical elements of a successful emergency management program. Capability assessments within the benchmarks are used to help communities identify gaps, determine their preparedness and administer CSEPP funding. The following are the CSEPP National Benchmarks:
* Administration
* Alert and Notification
* Automated Data Processing
* Communications
* Coordinated Plans
* Emergency Operation Centers
* Exercise
* Medical
* Personnel
* Protective Actions
* Public Outreach/Education
* Training
CSEPP reports its benchmark achievement annually in a report to Congress. CSEPP communities also conduct an annual federally evaluated full-scale exercise that brings together local responders, hospitals, emergency managers, nonprofit organizations and the U.S. Army. Exercises are a key component in measuring CSEPP’s performance, testing emergency plans and providing annual joint training for depot and civilian responders.
As the U.S. Army eliminates the chemical weapon stockpiles at each site, CSEPP communities are systematically closed out of the program. Due to the successes of the program, CSEPP best practices and lessons learned are being transferred to all-hazards emergency preparedness both within and outside the CSEPP communities. Similarly, FEMA regional and headquarters CSEPP staff, along with their Army counterparts, are working closely with CSEPP communities to enable retention of preparedness capabilities, to the maximum extent possible, after program funding ceases.
For more information about Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program visit:
www.fema.gov/about/divisions/thd_csepp.shtm
“FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.”
“FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.”